What to Know Before You Submit Your Novel, Part II

This is a continuation of a previous article from editor Constance Renfrow about six things you need to know before you submit your novel. Check out Part One right here! Make Your Email Stand Out Okay, so Fifty Shades of Twilight Abbey is free of clichés and that anti-woman monologue, you’re ready to “sware” all… Read more »

Episode 15: Master Class with Jane Yolen

This is a very special episode for DIY MFA Radio because it features a wonderful writer–and one of my writing heroes–Jane Yolen. She has written over 360 books, but what truly sets her work apart is her artristry and versatility. She has written in just about every genre imaginable, and for just about every type of… Read more »

An Introduction to Flash Fiction

My name is Alicia Audrey, and I am addicted to flash fiction. It is my hope that, if you are not already a flash fiction addict, you will join the club. I’ve always loved writing, and I spent a lot of time focusing on novel-length work. By the end of my second decade of writing,… Read more »

#5onFri – Five Spooky Picture Books

Whether it’s carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses or planning your costume, the month of October is stuffed full of Halloween. Kids and adults alike get excited to dress up for trick or treating, parades and parties. In fact, Halloween is turning into a month-long celebration of everything spooky, creepy and fun. Here are five picture books we’ve… Read more »

Episode 14: Creative Monsters

Happy Halloween everyone! Since Halloween is this Friday, I wanted to dedicate this episode to things that go bump in the night by talking about creative monsters in our lives. Creative monsters take many forms and use a variety of techniques to rip our creative ideas and spirit to shreds. In this episode, we’ll learn… Read more »

What to Know Before You Submit Your Novel: Part One

So you heard the old saying that everyone has a novel inside them and now you’re ready to shop Fifty Shades of Twilight Abbey around all the indie and major publishing companies. But you also heard that old adage, “Editors are awful people who will never read that manuscript you slaved over.” Hell, you probably… Read more »

#5onFri — Medical Narratives: Books for the Medical Mind

At the very thought of “medical books” or books about diseases and other health afflictions, we often think of probing, unemotional texts filled with technical verbiage and doctors studying sick humans as if they were machines with a few broken gears. And maybe some are like that. But there are also medical narratives that put medicine into… Read more »

Episode 13: The 5 Stages of Writer’s Block

In today’s episode I want to talk to you about writer’s block. Specifically, the 5 stages of writer’s block, inspired by the Kübler-Ross stages of grief. If you’ve ever experienced writer’s block, you know that you have to get through all these stages to be able to get back to writing. Writer’s block is painful,… Read more »

Square One: Where is the Best Place to Start Platforming?

Starting your online platform can be daunting, and it seems everyone an opinion on how to do it “right.” But the truth is, the best place to start your platform is where you feel most comfortable and naturally strongest. Platforming is simply putting forth an organized, focused effort to connect with your target readers. It’s… Read more »